Read Scripture. Go Deeper. Ask Questions. Take Action.
If you have to choose between a good reputation and great wealth, choose a good reputation.
Our reputation plays a significant role in how others perceive us and affects our reliability. While we should not live to please others, we must recognize that our reputation holds weight and influences how people perceive us. Peter echoes this sentiment in 2 Peter 1:3-10, reminding us that we live among people who do not know God. Our conduct and character matter because we represent Jesus to the world.
Too many people want the credit of good character but fail in their competence, their conduct, or their consistency, because they don’t hold up under tension. Character is the moral strength to maintain your integrity in the moment of opposition. While we can't always control other people's perception of us, we can protect our integrity. Focus on progress on the path, not perceptions. Remember God holds our calling and His reliability is the basis of our faith.